KeepOut diverts young people from crime, in ways that train and rehabilitate prisoners.
KeepOut is the first ever crime diversion scheme to be delivered by dedicated serving prisoners - managed by civilian staff - inside UK prisons. Prisoners are trained by KeepOut to run intervention programmes for young people that divert those between 13 and 17 who are either involved in crime or at risk of becoming involved. We operate within HMP Coldingley and HMP Send in Surrey, HMP Lewes in Sussex and HMP Brixton in London. In 2012 we worked with 1,800 young people over the south-east.
Why the community needs usKeepOut makes communities safer with less crime being committed and fewer victims being created. We enable young people involved in crime to understand the consequences to both themselves, their peers, families and the wider community. We encourage young people to be more responsible individuals within the society in which they live. KeepOut gives participating prisoners the chance to give something back to the community. We assist in the rehabilitation process to ensure they don't reoffend.
Our impact on the communityKeepOut has independent data that confirms an 80% reduction in offending can be achieved with young people attending our crime diversion workshops.We follow up a sample cohort of KeepOut prisoners released each year to measure their progress towards rehabilitation. Of the last cohort analysed, only 20% reoffended (compared to the national average of 55%). And more than half of them were in work, studying or volunteering.Since 1996 KeepOut has worked with 480 prisoners and 18,000 young people.
